With a complete four-fight main card already announced for “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” on June 26, the promotion has turned its focus to the preliminary showcase with four new fights.
Bellator 138 adds four preliminary card bouts
The newly announced bouts include bantamweights Jeimeson “The Minion” Saudino (8-4) vs. Aaron “The Cyborg” Ely (4-2), lightweights Bobby “Super Duper” Cooper (12-5) vs. Pablo Villaseca (9-0), as well as heavyweights Daniel “Big Kansas” Gallemore (4-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (7-0), and female featherweights Iony Razafiarison (2-0) and Bryanna “Pink Ranger” Fissori (1-0).
“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” is headlined by a heavyweight clash between French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5). The event takes place June 26 at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.
The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 6:45 p.m. ET/ 5:45 p.m. CT. Tickets for “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” start at just $17 and are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.
Additional announced pairings on the SPIKE-televised card include lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs. John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17), former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) and a contest between middleweight sluggers with Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1) on the event’s featured portion.
In a bantamweight battle between two Kansas natives, Wichita’s Saudino is a scrapper who has won half of his eight professional victories without the judge’s help. He looks to improve to nine wins against Leavenworth’s Ely, a ground game specialist who has earned all four professional victories by submission. This 135-pound bout will be a must-see showcase of Midwest MMA talent.
RFA and Titan FC veteran Cooper has already earned two victories in the Bellator cage and will look to make his fight at Bellator 139 three in a row. He goes up against Villaseca, a Chilean MMA prospect with an unblemished professional record at 9-0, with three knockouts and three submission finishes.
Emporia’s “Big Kansas” Gallemore is a heavyweight who’s hands have earned all four of his victories, three of which have taken place under the Bellator banner. He will meet the undefeated Sakai, a dangerous Brazilian striker who has finished six of seven of his opponents with either his fists or knees.
Iony Razafiarison is a coming off of a unanimous decision victory in her professional debut this past January, and will look to make an immediate impact in her first fight with the Bellator promotion. She will take on Bryanna Fissori, who also makes her promotional debut at Bellator 139 after winning her first career victory by knockout last October.
“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” – Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas
Main Card (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)
Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)
Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1)
Preliminary Card
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Bubba Jenkins (8-2) vs. Joe Wilk (18-10)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Jeimeson Saudino (8-4) vs. Aaron Ely (4-2)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Bobby Cooper (12-5) vs. Pablo Villaseca (9-0)
Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Daniel Gallemore (4-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (7-0)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Iony Razafiarison (2-0) vs. Bryanna Fissori (1-0)
